The Trans-Canada Highway is the only federal highway in Canada that, with a few junctions, forms a link system through ten provinces of the country. Covering more than seven thousand kilometers, the TCH is the only continuous transcontinental road of Canada and the third long-est road of the world. The Trans-Siberian Road in Russia and Highway 1 in Australia are longer. The Yellowhead Highway forms the northern branch of the TCH in the western provinces. Although the Trans-Canada Highway was opened in 1962, it was completed in 1970 and is mostly four-lane and crossing-free.